MAY TECHNICAL CHALLENGE WINNER
Ceramics Art QLD is excited to announce the winner of the MAY Technical Challenge, Sprig Forms.
Images supplied by the artist
The May challenge required participants to create one or more flower forms, realistic, stylised, abstract or interpretive.
Aisha Kennett from Bayview Heights, QLD
Interview with Aisha Kennett
- Creative Process— Sprig forms can be deceptively technical. What part of your process for designing, carving, or pressing your sprigs pushed your skills the most, and how did you overcome any challenges along the way?
As the May challenge specifically asked participants to use sprigs as the primary decorative or structural element, I wanted to design something that could be repeated many times without becoming visually repetitive. Eagle rays were ideal because they naturally move in groups, yet every individual can have a slightly different posture.
I first sculpted the original ray in clay and then made a plaster mould for reproduction. The biggest challenge was the tail. Eagle rays have very long, thin tails, and even though I shortened and thickened mine, it was still difficult to release the sprigs from the mould without breaking them. In fact, many of the tails came out separately and had to be reattached afterwards. Surprisingly, that turned into an advantage—it allowed me to adjust the angle of each tail slightly, making every ray a little different while still coming from the same mould.
- Material & Technique Insight— Sprig work often reveals a maker’s relationship with clay. What materials, tools, or techniques were essential to achieving the detail and clarity in your sprig forms, and why did you choose them?
I normally work with Walkers No. 10 stoneware. Because I use underglazes extensively, I prefer a smooth white clay body that acts as a clean canvas.
The eagle rays were decorated with black underglaze, while the white spots were applied using porcelain slip trailing. I chose eagle rays rather than manta rays or stingrays (although I love them all!) mainly because I’m fascinated by the distinctive pattern of white spots across their dark bodies.
The sprig itself has a simple but highly recognisable silhouette, while the spotted pattern provides the finer detail. The porcelain slip also creates a subtle relief, so when you run your fingers over the surface, you can actually feel the raised spots.
- Artistic Intention— Sprigs can be decorative, symbolic, or structural. What inspired the imagery or motifs in your winning sprig design, and how do you see sprig work contributing to your broader ceramic practice?
Because I wanted the sprigs to be the primary decoration, I imagined the eagle rays as the main characters rather than decorative motifs. I pictured a group of rays slowly “flying” across a shallow sea. That’s why I chose to place them on a large, flat plate that could represent the ocean surface.
Interestingly, I don’t actually use sprigs very often in my ceramic practice. This eagle ray was the first mould I had made in almost two years. The previous one was a cockroach, cast from a real cockroach!
At the beginning of this challenge, I actually planned to make another cockroach sprig. Unfortunately, every cockroach in my house seemed to disappear the moment I needed one. I couldn’t find a single one! So the eagle rays won by default—and I have no regrets.